Staffordshire-based Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd, which produces machined castings up to 16,000kg for critical-duty applications — mainly for overseas customers — has recently purchased sawing machinery from Midlands-based Accurate Cutting Services Ltd (www.accurate-cutting.co.uk).

Heavy-section duplex stainless steel and nickel alloys require cold-cutting techniques to remove excess material prior to machining, because thermal stress from oxy-fuel cutting often causes cracking. Initially, Accurate Cutting supplied its sub-contract sawing services using a heavy-duty Soitaab 2,000mm gantry saw. This cuts in horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions; and a built-in turntable means most of the cutting can be done without any repositioning of the component between cuts — saving time and money and reducing the risk of damage due to the handling of components.

However, with the ever increasing production of advanced nickel alloys, and power-generator alloys susceptible to cracking, Goodwin reckoned it was about time that it bought its own Soitaab gantry saw; after five years of providing Goodwin with a sub-contract sawing service, Accurate Cutting supplied a machine with a 3,000mm cutting capacity, along with operator training, ongoing maintenance and technical support.

Meanwhile, a second Goodwin plc company — Metal Proving Services — chose to purchase a smaller machine from Accurate Cutting. The Soitaab SC 550 horizontal bandsaw can operate with either a bi-metal or carbide-tipped blade and will provide the company with a controlled feed-force for cutting tough materials used for testing purposes.